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KEY 




SOUTHERN PRISONS 



uin'ited states officers. 



O. E. i)AHL, 

LATE LIEUTENANT AND TOPOGRAPHICAL ENGINEER FIFTEENTH WISCONSIN INFANTRY 



The sketches from which these lithographs were made, were mostly taken on the 
spot, while still a prisoner, and may be relied upon as correct. 



JOHN A. GRAY & GREEX, PRIXTERS AND STEREOTYPERS 
Corner of Frankfort and Jacob Streets. 

1865. 





KEY 



TO 



SOUTHEEli PRISONS 



UNITED STATES OFEIOEES. 



O. R. DAHL, 

LATE LIEUTEN'ANT AND TOPOGRAPHICAL ESGINEER FIFTEENTH WISCONSIN INFANTRT 

\ 



The sketches from which these lithographs were made, were mostly taken on the 
spot, while still a pi-isoner, and may be relied upon as correct. 



JOHN A. GRAY & GREEN, PRINTERS AND STEREOTYPERS, 

Corner of Frankfort and Jacob Streets. 

1865. 



KEY TO SOUTHERN PRISONS. 



No. 1.— Taken Prisoner. 

The circumstances under which officers and men 
are captured, are as varied as possible ; and one soon 
learns he is in rebel hands by a peremptory order to 
" Come out of those boots ;" " I want that coat ;" " Give 
up jour knife and pocket-book ;" 'Til trade hats with 
you'unSj" etc. ; and if one succeeds in getting into 
prison with a full suit of clothes on, he is considered 
one of the fortunate ones. After capture, he is march- 
ed from ten to one hundred miles, usually going with- 
out any thing to eat from one to four days. 

No. 2. — Cooking and Dividing the Meat Rations. 

a — Cooking coffee, consisting of burnt meal or 
rice, h — Making mush, c — Mixing the meal for a 
2:)one, A pone was made of corn-meal, water, and a 
little salt, baked in an iron skillet. 

d — Diet of worms. Cleaning meat : that is, scraping 
the maggots off from it. I don't think we had a 
single issue, while at Macon, that was not more or less 
maggoty. 

e — A difficult prohhm^ to divide four pieces of bacon 
(including the tail, and the head, with nose and ears) 
in one bundred rations, so that each shall have his due 



4 KEY TO SOUTHERN PRISONS. 

portion of meat in due season, quality, and quantity. 
The jDroblem solved : one eighth part of a pound per 
day per man. 

No. 3.— "Bucked." 

A Federal officer, while at Macon, Ga., sent out a 
gold watch by Captain Tabb, Commandant of the 
prison, to be sold, who attempted to oblige him to 
accept fifty dollars confederate money, and because he 
refused it and demanded the watch, threatening to 
report him, took him out and "bucked" him for two 
hours. The watch was subsequently returned to him. 
At first, he was ordered to cart some dirt in front of 
the office, but, refusing to comply, Tabb threatened to 
shoot him ; still he refused, and was " bucked." 

No. 4.— New Arrivals; or, "Fresh Fish." 

Upon the arrival of a new capture at the prison, he 
is greeted by a '■^rusW'' from the older ones, who 
crowd around him, inquiring after the " news " from 
the army, date of capture, the situation, etc., while 
those who are so unfortunate as to be in the outer 
circle, greet him with cries of " Fresh fish !" " Give him 
air!" "Don't take that haversack away from him!" 
" Take your hands out of his pocket !" " Don't put lice 
on him !" which serves to turn the laugh on him. His 
new and whole clothes are in striking contrast with 
the tattered garments of those who have been long 
imprisoned.* 

* The first six months of prison-life an officer is called a " Fresh 
Fish ;^'' the next four months, "-4 Sucker ;^'' the next two months, 
a "Dr?/ Cod ;'''' the balance of his time, a ^^ Dried Herring ;^^ and after 
exchange, a '■''Pickled Sardine.'^ 



KEY TO SOUTHERN PRISONS. 5 

"So. 5 and 18.— Washing. 

Shows the straits to which, officerawere reduced on 

washing-days. Having no extra clothes, we were 

obliged to go without, when we tried to wash what we 

had. 

No. 6.— "Skii'misliing." 

Whatever scruples an officer may have at first 

against so indelicate an operation in the presence of 

others, he is cured of it after a few days' stay in a 

Southern military prison. The cars, barracks, camps, 

and prisons are swarming witli the little "graybacks," 

and it is only by a constant and close examination, 

one can possibly live in any kind of peace. Hot water 

and soap helps to kill them, but the soap was in such 

small quantities, and we had no kettles except those 

used for cooking, that our opportunities were few and 

small for that kind of washing. Another difficulty 

arose from the rebels taking from the prisoners all extra 

and often the necessary clothing he chanced to have 

about him at the time of capture. None had any extra 

clothes, and, with, the prospect of a long imprisonment 

before us, it was a matter of economy to wash clothes 

as little as we could, and not be filthy. 

" Tell me not, in mournful number, 
Prison-life is but a dream : 
'Tis but little we can slumber, 
Swarms of lice in every seam." 

No. 7.— Household Duties. 

"Act well your part, there all the honor lies." 
Moral — Wash 'em clean. Dish-washing was usually 
performed by the cook of the day. Not much of a 
job — for very few of us had any dishes at aU. 



6 KEY TO SOUTHERN PRISONS. 

No. 8.— Came too near the Dead-Line. 

On tlie morning of tlie first of December, 1864, at 
Camp Sorghum, about ten o'clock, the camp was 
startled with the report of a musket, (quite an unusual 
occurrence in the day-time,) and soon the report spread 
through camp that Lieutenant Tarbayne, Sixty-sixth 
ISTew-York, had been shot — murdered by the guard, 
a Mr. Williams, of Newbury Court- House, S. C. Tur- 
bayne was walking along a path that ran by the corner 
of a hut, near the dead-line, but inside of it Along 
this path the prisoners had walked hundreds of times 
without fear, for it was on our. own ground. As Tur- 
bayne came along, this guard brought his piece to his 
shoulder, halted him, and ordered him back. He 
turned to go, walked a step or two, when the villain 
shot him through the back, the ball passing through 
his lungs. He staggered a few steps, fell^ and died 
within a few minutes. Not only did Major Griswold 
refuse to investigate the matter, hut after the inurderer 
had heen relieved by the officer of the day^ he sent him bach 
on duty that afternoon on the front line^ and also into 
camp the next morning^ surrounded by a body-guard^ 
for fear the ofiS.cers would do violence to him — o,n 
insult of the blackest dye. 

Ifo. 9.— Hunting Escaped Prisoners. 

Our condition was such, that many preferred to 
brave the dangers and perils of an escape rather than 
remain longer in prison. If once seen by a white 
man, they were sure to be hunted down by dogs, as 
in the picture, and the only safety was to climb a tree, 



KEY TO SOUTHERN PRISONS. 7 

and wait for the " cliivalrj" to come up. Lieutenant 
Parker was so torn by dogs, that he died the next 
day after his capture. 

On the seventh of November, 18.64, a rebel living 
one mile from Chappel's Ferry, S. C, captured Lieu- 
tenant J. Clement, of the Fifteenth Kentucky Cavalry. 
After the Lieutenant had surrendered, he let the dogs 
loose on him, and he was bitten and thus disabled for 
a long time. 

No. 10.— Libby Prison 

has been too often described to need more than a few 
words. It stands in that portion of Kichmond known 
as the '' Kockets." It is of brick, three stories front, 
four in rear, containing nine rooms forty-seven by one 
hundred and ten feet square. The six upper ones con- 
tained the prisoners. The cells were in the basement. 
It was from this basement the party tunneled out in 
1863, by going down the chimney, and working 
nights. The building was formerly an old tobacco 
and ship-chandlery factory, owned by Libby & Son. 

No. 11.— Searching for the Road at Night. 

Escaping officers trying to read a guide-board in 
the night, to learn the road to liberty. The same 
parties are represented in No. 9 a few days later. 
For further information, see Prof Ogden's experience 
in Sketches of Prison-Life Illustrated^ by Lieutenant 
Abbott. 

No. 12.— Working Party of Negroes in Savannah. 

A party of seven women and seven negro-boys was 
sent in to fill up our sinh^ and among them was one 



8 KEY TO SOUTHEEN PRISONS. 

SO whiie^ we all thought lie could not be a negro, but 
the guard said he was a slave. 

a and h — Eebel officers, c — a Guard, d — an Overseer. 

No. 13.— Dividing Wood at Asylum Prison, Colimilbia, S. C. 

This was divided, same as other rations, yet usually 
small in quantity, a stick about the size of your arm 
for twenty -four hours. It was important that you be 
on hand to secure your mite, for you could not well 
do without it. 

No. 14.— Ml'. Caslimeyer's Sutler "Wagon, Macon, Ga. 

LIST OF sutler's PRICES AT COLUMBIA, S. C. 

In Macon, Ga., Confederate money, $4 for $1 in greenbacks. In 
Charleston and Columbia, $2 in confederate for $1 in greenbacks, 
and $6 for $1 in gold. 

Sweet Potatoes, $35 per bushel. 
Bread, 6 oz. loaves, $1.50 each. 
Beef, $4 per lb. Pork, $6 per lb. 
Eggs, $10 per dozen. Lard, $15 per lb. 
Butter, $20 per lb. Salt, $2 per lb. 
Segars, $1 each. Foolscap Paper, $225 per ream. 
Sole Leather, $45 per lb. Tea, $120 per lb. 
Sheeting, $10 per yard. Kutmegs, $2.50 each. 
Thread, $1.50 per small skeio. 
Combs, common, $15 each. In great demand and 
scarce. See No. 6. 

Shoes, English Army, $100 per pair. 
Smoking Tobacco, $10 per lb. 
Cards, Playing, $35 per pack. 
Tooth Brashes, $10 each. 
Blankets, white, $400 per pair. 



KEY TO SOUTHERN" PRISONS. 9 

Lead-Pencils, $3 each. 

Candles, $20 per lb. 

Socks, very scarce, $14 per pair. 

Black Pepper, $35 per lb. 

Sugar, brown, $18 per lb. - 

Coffee, not in market. 

a — Mr. C^islimeyer. h — Griiard. c — Negro, d — Ne- 
gro Charles, who carried out an officer in his empty 
potato-box. 

The sutlering was on the same plan in rtearly all 
the prisons, and some little variation in prices. The 
above is the latest. See also ISTo. 29. 

'So, 15.— Camp Sorghum, Columbia, S. C— Bird's-Eye View. 

On the sixth of October, 1864, the Federal officers 
in the confederates' hands, fifteen hundred in number, 
were nearly all brought to Columbia from Charleston, 
and put in a camp about two miles from the city, south. 
It was an open field, containing about four acres, with a 
few second-growth pine trees for shade. Here we were 
turned loose to shift for ourselves. They gave us neither 
axe, spade, shovel, nor cooking utensils. For the first ten 
days, we could only go for wood, water, and to the sink 
by turns. After that time, they improved all but in 
going for wood. We had no shelter, except what we 
made ourselves of brush and pine boughs. October 
twentieth, they issued us eight axes and eight shovels 
for the fifteen hundred men. For wood, we go out 
under guard, and bring in all we can within a specified 
time — one and a half Hours — and that ends the wood 
till the next day. Our rations have been most miser- 
1* • 



10 KEY TO SOUTHERN" PRISONS. 

able, and often lial£ the number of days pass before 
we get the amount they pretend to give us for the cer- 
tain number of days. They consist of corn-meal, 
about one pint ; sorghum, about one fifth of a pint ; 
salt, about a tea-spoonful ; soap, an infinitesimal quan- 
tity, daily, and not a single bucket to wash in, or a 
cooking utensil. We were one hundred and thirty- 
three days at Columbia without meat. The suffering 
was so great, that of&cers would run the guard nights, 
thus risking their lives to escape from such suffering. 
Many thus went away, sometimes as many as fifty, in 
twenty -four hours. 

a — Col. Torps' headquarters, h — Colonel Huey's 
headquarters, c and e — Sutlers' tents, d — Post-of&ce. 

No. 16.— Asylum Prison, Columbia, S, C. 

On the morning of the twelfth of December, cold 
and cheerless as it was, we received orders to move to 
the city. The sketch shows our prison as it was 
when we left. 

a. Insane Asylum, h c. Buildings used for our hos- 
pitals, d^ Headquarters of the senior officer and com- 
missary—Colonel Shedd, senior officer ; Colonel Thorp, 
Commissary ; C. Miller, Adjutant. These ofiS.cers did 
not claim to be in authority, but only to' make matters 
better for us. 

The wall, or stockade, was twelve feet high, built 
of brick on three sides, while a board fence separated 
us from the large building a. 

QUARTERS. 

When we entered the yard, there was the shell of a 
building, partly finished, in the north-west corner^ 



KEY TO SOUTHERN PRISONS. 11 

twenty-four feet square, divided into two rooms. This 
was a models and we were all to have quarters like it 
as soon as we would build them ; yet, as usual, after 
being there over two months, only one third of the 
offi.cers had barracks. Some old tents and pieces of 
tents were brought in, which, served to cover the 
mouth of a hole, which many made in the ground and 
used for quarters ; yet more or less were without any 
kind of shelter at all. 

WATER. 

We had plenty of good pure water brought into us 
through, the hydrant, a luxury of which we availed 
ourselves often. 

WOOD. 

"We suffered here for want of wood ; the ration, 
vjhen issued^ not amounting to a piece larger or longer 
than your arm, foi* twenty-four hours, and some days 
they would not issue at all. Often it was of the poor- 
est quality. 

In order to prevent the meal-sacks from being stolen 
or lost, some carpenters were sent in one day, and 
made us a " feed-box," (see letter e,) into which was 
emptied our rations, as though we were so many hogs. 
However, the plan did not last long. 

THE RATIONS, 

While in Columbia, over four months, consisted of: 
Corn-meal, often ground cob and all, 4 quarts. 
Sorghum, (molasses — black and bitter,) 1 gill. 
Salt, 2 table-spoonfuls for 5 days. 
Eice, 2 " u u 



12 KEY TO SOUTHERN PRISONS. 

We got two or three issues of black, dirty flour, 
one of canal, and one of bran. Had no meat issued 
for one hundred and thirty-three days. Meal and sor- 
ghum only^ for four months. 

No. 17.— Bird's-eye View of Camp Oglethorpe, Maconj Ga. 

The ground embraces two and seven eighths acres 
inside the "dead-line." It is stockaded with pine- 
boards, doubled, twelve feet high, so that we could see 
nothing outside of the prison. On the outside of this 
stockade, and at convenient height to enable the guards 
to see all that was going on inside of the camp, was 
built a platform, on which the sentinels walked. (See 
bottom of the picture.) 

On the north side, and near the gate, and also on the 
east side, were posted two twelve-pound brass pieces, 
to sweep the camp in case of an- outbreak. During 
the latter part of June, three others were planted in 
the woods in rear of the camp, as supports. 

Inside of the stockade, and twenty feet from it, was 
the "' dead-line," which consisted of an ordinary picket- 
fence. This line always marks the limit of the camp. 
Beyond this we were not permitted to go without the 
presence of the rebel officer of the day. ISTeither were 
we permitted to hang our blankets or clothes upon it, 
or even touch it, upon penalty of being shot by the 
guard. 

QUARTERS. ^ 

Kear the center of the camp was the shell of an old 
building, f which was principally used by the Gen- 
eral and field officers for quarters. From the steps of 



KEY TO SOUTHERN PRISONS. 13 

this building we held, our evening religious services, 
and here also the mail was distributed. 

For the balance of the officers, they pretended to 
famish lumber, with which to build sheds or roofs, 
but at no time were there less than one hundred with- 
out shelter. These sheds usually held from seventy- 
five to one hundred. They famished but little lumber 
for bunks, and the most that was obtained was pur- 
loined without consent. 

WATER. 

A single spring on the south side of the camp fur- 
nished us with water till the middle of June, when 
they dug three wells and put in wooden pumps. 

WOOD. 

A detail was made each day that wood was issued, 
of one officer for ten men, who was allowed to bring 
in all he could at one time, and that must suffice for 
the day, or till next issue. 

RATIONS. 

For convenience, the officers were divided in com- 
panies of one hundred each, called squads ; these were 
subdivided into twenties, called messes. One of each 
squad, and also of each mess, was a commissary. One 
officer was also a general commissary for all the officers 
He received the rations in bulk from the rebel commis- 
sary, and issued them to his squad commissaries, and 
these, in turn, issued them to the officers who composed 
their messes. 

For cooking purposes, they issued to each squad of 
one hundred the following utensils, namely : 



14 KEY TO SOUTHERN PRISONS. 

6 iron skillets, with covers. 

15 iron skillets, without covers. 

10 tin pails or buckets, holding about six quarts. 

10 small tin pans, for mixing our meal in. 
5 wooden pails or buckets. 

What they called axes and spades were issued each 
morniug, and returned to the gate "in the evening. Any 
neglect to return either of them, kept them all out till 
the missing one was returned. 

The amount and kind of rations issued each five 
days, was as follows, namely: 

7 pints corn-meal. 

^ pint sorghum. 

1 pound maggoty rancid bacon. 

2 table spoonfuls of beans or rice, (black and 
wormy.) 

2 table-spoonfuls of salt. 

MEETINGS. 

Preaching on Sabbath at eleven, Sabbath and Thurs- 
day evening at seven. Prayer and conference meet- 
ings, Tuesday and Saturday evenings. 

AMUSEMENTS. 

Cricket, Wicket, Base-Ball, Cards, Dominoes, Chess, 
Checkers, and Sword-Exercise were the principal 
ones indulged in. 

a — Near where we stuck up our Union flag on the 
fourth of July, 1864 5— Hospital, c— Foundry. 
d — Railroad depot, e — Near where Lieutenant Gier- 
son, of the Fifty-ninth Kew-York, was shot by 



KEY TO SOUTHERN PRISON'S. 15 

Eicliard Barrett, of the Twanty-seveuth Georgia bat- 
talion, on the eleventh of June, 1864:. g — A sink. 

Fourth of July at Macon, Ga., 18G4. 

At this time there were about fifteen hundred of- 
cers in the prison. At roll-call, immediately after being 
counted, Captain Todd, Eighth New-Jersey Infantry, 
displayed a little silk flag, four by six inches, which had 
been presented to him by Miss Paradise, of Jersey Citj^, 
and which had thus far eluded the vigilance of confed- 
erate provost-marshals. It was at once greeted with a 
round of cheers, which plainly told that they came from 
loyal hearts. An officer then sang the " Star-Spangled 
Banner," the crowd joining in the chorus with a will. 
This was cheered, and then, without any previous 
arrangement or appointment, the crowd adjourned 
to the big building, (see Sketch No. 17, yj ) when 
Chaplain Dixon, Sixteenth Connecticut, was called out 
and made a most excellent and patriotic prayer. 
Speeches were then made by Captain Ives, Lieutenant 
Ogden, First Wisconsin Cavalry, Captains Lee and 
Kellogg, Chaplain "Whitney, One Hundred Fourth 
Ohio, Chaplain Dixon, and Lieutenant-Colonel Thorp, 
First New- York Dragoons, interspersed with patriotic 
songs, while over our heads waved the emblem of free- 
dom, the "Eed, White, and Blue." Many an eye was 
dimmed by a tear as it gazed upon our "starry ban- 
ner," and cheer after cheer went up from loyal hearts 
which had felt the iron heel of Southern despotism, 
and that knew the value of a land of freedom and a 
righteous government. While Colonel Thorp was 



16 KEY TO SOUTHERN PEISONS. 

speaking, tlie officer of the day came in witli an 
order, breaking up the meeting, thus ending our cele- 
bration. The crowd quietly dispersed, yet feeling it 
had been the best "Fourth of July" they had ever 
seen. 

The following '' order," which appeared posted on 
the "bulletin-board" inside the prison, about two 
o'clock, best explains itself: 

C. S. Military Prison, Macon, Ga., 
Special Orders, ) July 4, 1864. 

No. 6. f 

I. Lieutenant-Colonel Thorp is relieved from duty 
as Senior Officer of Prisons for a violation of prison 
rules, and Lieutenant-Colonel McCrary will again 
assume that position. 

IL The same order and quiet will be observed on 
this day as on any other. 

III. A disregard to this order may subject offenders 
to unpleasant consequences. 

GrEORGE C. GiBBS, 

Captain Commanding. 

No. 19.— Slioulder-Straps on Police Duty. 

The authorities pretended to police the camp every 
day, but it was sadly neglected, so that often, for our 
own comfort, it was not an uncommon occurrence for 
"shoulder-straps" to be on police duty. 

No. 20.— Tunneling. (The Narrow Path to Liberty.) 

Soon after being placed in the prison-camp at Ma- 
con, Ga., the tunneling operations began, and were 



KEY TO SOUTHERN PRISONS. 17 

carried on verj lively. As many as five were in prog- 
ress at one time. The plan of operation was about 
as follows : Select a bunk in some shed near the " dead- 
line;" dig down two feet, and fit in a board a foot 
from the top, and during the day the hole was filled 
up and swept over, that all traces of the digging might 
be obliterated. A company was formed, and one 
placed on guard, as you can see, with hands folded 
in the picture. One enters the hole, and digs hori- 
zontally about two feet under ground. The dirt was 
brought to the mouth of the hole in a box or sack 
attached to a string. Two or three were detailed to 
carry off the dirt in haversacks to the sink, or under 
the large building. Sometimes they would strew it 
over the camp, sweep it up-^arly in the morning, and 
it would be carried out in the police cart. The open- 
ing of the tunnel was to be outside the stockade. 
When all was ready, on the night appointed, the out- 
side end would be opened, and out they would go. 
Time in completing, sixteen or eighteen days. It was 
a hard job, but our motto was: " Give me liberty, or 
give me death." On the twenty-seventh of June, 
1864, three were discovered — two nearly completed — 
which were to have been used that night. 

No. 21. —Richland Jail, Coliimlbia, S. C. 

One hundred and twenty-five of our officers were 
confined here during the fall, and up to the time we 
were sent to the Asylum Prison, when they were sent 
in to us. Captain , a loyal Tennesseean, was 

kept here in irons^ over eighteen months^ because he 
loved the old flag. 



18 KEY TO SOUTHERK PRISONS. 

No. 22.— Charleston Jail- Yard. (Bird's-.eye Tiew.) 

September thirteenth, we were put on board the cars, 
and taken to Charleston, whither all the other officers 
had been sent before us, and placed in the Citj Jail- 
Yard. It contains about one acre, and is surrounded 
by a brick wall twelve feet high. The City Jail 
stands near the northern center of the yard. Into . 
this small space they crowded about six hundred of 
us, and for two days gave us neither rations nor wood, 
and four days after gave us kettles to cook in. At 
one time we were four days without a bit of wood to 
cook with. The yard was extremely filthy, and when 
it rained several of the tents were flooded. At this 
time there was not any kind of shelter for over four 
hundred, putting six in an "A" tent, which could not 
be done in all cases. To add to our misery, they 
turned out the convicts occasionally to keep us com- 
pany. An " Artesian well " supplied us with brack- 
ish water, and a cistern with a little rain-water. All 
of the officers spent a "season" at the famous "Jail- 
Yard." 

No. 23.— Camp at Savannah. 

July twenty-ninth, the second six hundred were 
started from Macon for Charleston, it was supposed ; but 
for some reason, they were stopped at Savannah. The 
camp was a part of the yard belonging to the U. S. 
Marine Barracks. It embraced three acres, and beside a 
brick wall six feet high, had a board stockade of six 
feet more, with two sentry-boxes on each side. There 
were a few very fine shade-trees on the north-west 
side, A hydrant was put in, which supplied us with 



KEY TO SOUTHEEN" PRISONS. 19 

running water, and a pump witb. well-water. Com- 
mon "A" tents were issued at the rate of sixteen to 
ninetj-six men. These were arranged in streets, and 
were raised up two and a half or three feet high, and 
bunks built in them. They also issued us plenty of 
cooking utensils and good rations, the best we have 
ever had in the confederacy. Brick and lime were 
also brought in, and each squad had a number of nice 
ovens. In short, Savannah was the only place where 
we received treatment such as belongs to "prisoners 
of war." Tunneling was attempted here, but a cow 
fell into one that was nearly completed, and we were 
discovered, and after that they were too sharp for us, 
and usually detected the work before it was completed. 
Religious services were held on Sabbath evening. 

Jfo. 24:.--Passing the Lines for "Exchange." 

The morning of March first found one thousand 
United States ofiicers on a railroad train, three miles 
from E'orth-East Bridge, and twelve from Wilmington, 
N. C. Soon Colonel Hatch, the rebel Commissioner 
of Exchange, came down in a "special" train, and, 
with a white flag displayed from the front of .his loco- 
motive, proceeded to a point near the bridge, while we 
followed. As we neared the place and caught sight 
of Colonel Mulford and his staff, we gave them three 
hearty cheers. As the train stopped, scarcely a word 
was spoken, for each seemed afraid to break the spell. 
The guard of our soldiers was formed in two ranks, 
facing inward, and through these ranks they counted 
us. Soon as one reached the outer file, he would start 
on a "double-quick," swing his hat with a whoop, 



20 KEY TO SOUTHERN PRISONS. 

perhaps jump as high as he could, and run down 
the road for a quarter of a mile, as fast as he could. 
There he joined his comrades, and together they 
cheered, laughed, cried, hugged each other, rolled on 
the ground, and in fact gave way to a wild fit of joy. 
Then^ for the first time, we began to throw away our 
old pots, pans, rags — all we had, for we felt we were 
now in "God's country," and could find sufficient for 
our use. 

We were then marched about a mile and a half, 
when, suddenly turning a bend in the road, the " Old 
Flag," for the first time, greeted us. A cheer went 
up from the head of the column, which ran along its 
entire length, to be repeated again and again, till we 
had cheered ourselves hoarse and were exhausted. The 
Sixth Connecticut were encamped on the north side of 
Cape Fear Kiver, and on a little knoll, at a convenient 
point for us to see it in the distance, they had erected 
an arbor of evergreens, out from which hung their col- 
ors while in the center of the arch was a placard, on 
which was printed the inspiring words : 
"Welcome, Brothers!" 

As we marched past it, with uncovered heads, the 
band played "Hail to the Chief," etc. Many of the 
old prisoners stepped out of the ranks, embraced and 
kissed the " Starry Banner " with tears — an-^old friend, 
from whom they had long been separated. The entire 
division turned out to welcome ns — a cheering sight 
to us— in their clean blue United States uniforms, as 
compared with the ragmuffins we had been accustomed 
to see so long. 



KEY TO SOUTHERN PRISONS. 21 

We were marclied to a little grove, where we were 
furnislied with an abundant dinner of hard bread, 
boiled fresh beef, and coffee. Eeaders can imagine our 
enjoyment of a full meal. 

We marched that night to Wilmington, and from 
there 4;ook steamers for Annapolis, Md., from which 
place we were permitted to visit our homes for thirty 
days. 

Those whose term of service had expired were 
honorably discharged, /rom the first of March^ 1865. 

" Now our prison lives are over ! Oh ! it is a pleasant thought, 
And we here await our furloughs, ere again our friends are sought. 
Oh ! we will be going northward, we'll go eastward, and go west. 
To meet sisters, wives, and mothers, and the children we love best ! 
Farewell, South, and all thy dead-lines ! Farewell, traitors, robbers 

too! 
Cherished friends of youth and childhood, we are coming home to 

you! 
And will not your smiles of welcome half-repay our griefs and cares, 
When once more you see us sitting in the old familiar chairs ? 
But there's One who reigns above us — we should give our thanks to 

him. 
For the bright hopes in the bosoms where the prospects all were dim ; 
For his kind and friendly watching, and our restorations grand, 
From the sandy hills of ' Dixie,' to our own dear loyal land . 
Let us pray for peace returning, with the Union severed not ; 
Let us think of those in heaven, comrades who have with us fought ; 
Let us trust in One above us — though the clouds may gather fast ; 
Let us have this sweet assurance that sweet peace will come at last." 
— The Wandermg Poet from New-Hampshire. 

No. 25.— Exchange on tlie Brain. 

There are no rumors that reach the prisoner of war, 
that interest him more than those about "exchange." 
Many such are constantly in circulation, but often, 



22 KEY TO SOUTHERN PRISONS. 

when traced to their source, are found to be without 
foundation, and have an unpleasant effect upon those 
who take stock in them., leading one to exclaim often : 

" Abraham ! Abraham ! why hast thou forsaken me — 
Without money, clothes, or hopes, 
Among rebels, lice, and dogs ?" 

No. 27.— Drawing of Meat Eations at Camp Sorghum. 

October^ 1864. — An old wild hog happened to come 
through the guard-line, and as soon as he was inside 
our camp, a rush was made, and he was ours — all that 
was " issued" to fifteen hundred ofS.cer3 from the time 
we left Charleston on the fifth of October, 1864, up to 
the fifteenth of February, 1865. 

" The black hog was seen when running through camp : 
Each man forgetting starvation and cramp, 
Grunts of the hog and its running were vain — 
Never he'll be on that camp-ground again," 

— The Wandering Poet of New-Hampshire. 

No. 28.— Camp Bacon. 

On the fourteenth of Februarj^, 1865, we were or- 
dered off to Charlotte, K C, and here we went into 
Camp Bacon. 

It consisted of an old barn and a piece of woods. 
A few of the tents were sent to us. The ground was 
badly located, the weather stormy and disagreeable, 
yet we went to work with a will to make ourselves as 
comfortable as we could. Word came we were all to 
be " exchanged soon." " The old story !" said we, and 
kept at work ; but the fifth day an order came to send 



KEY TO SOUTHERN" PRISONS. 23 

the prisoners forward, and we soon left this camp 
" alone in its glory." 

It derived its name from the fact of its bein'g the 
first place that we got meat for over four months. A 
portion of the officers were paroled here before leaving 
•lor Wilmington, N. 0. While here, we were under 
the command of a Captain Stew^^rt, of Frederick City, 
Md., who treated us like a gentkman — quite an excep- 
tion to the majority of those who had been in com- 
mand of us. 

No. 30.— Hauling Wood at Camp Sorghum, 

Reduced as we were for want of food, it was often 
a difficult problem to solve how we would get wood 
sufiicient for our needs. This sketch represents one 
of the most common plans, yet not an easy one, I 
assure you. As we had but few axes, we were oblig- 
ed to carry larger logs than we otherwise would. 

No. 31.— Map-Drawing, 

This^ fever ran high about the time the "tunnels" 
were under way, and nearly every officer had one to 
use in case he should happen to see a path open to 
escape. 



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